


Westerns

by smackkid



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Abusive Relationship Themes, Ace character, Ace/Aro Characters, Adoption, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bipolar Disorder, Cheating, Depression, Friendship, LGBTQ Character, Mental Health Issues, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Multi, Past Relationship(s), Polyamorous Relationship(s), Queer Platonic Partnership(s), Some depictions of abuse, Underage Drinking, aro character, minor characters - Freeform, parenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2018-07-23 20:01:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7477974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smackkid/pseuds/smackkid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>college au, the whole gang's here. also babies, parties, fights, injuries, cheating, fun stuff. nearly everyone's lgbtqiap some way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Arriving at Westerns

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to know how I see the characters we've seen so far:
> 
> Leslie Odem Jr. as Aaron  
> Lin Manuel Miranda as Alex
> 
> (Please just accept that I see them as those characters *at college age* and forgive me.)

_There. Door. Rm 71. Open it up. Bag down. There, on the bed. Sit down too. Breathe. Don’t smash the phone. Hold it tight in your hands. Don’t smash the phone. Breathe. You aren’t going to mess it all up on your first day. Breathe. You made it here. This is what you wanted. You’re out of your town. At school. At university. Where you can learn. Where you can be a new man. She - she. Aghhhh. No. You don’t need her. She made her choice. You can make your own. You just won’t think about her anymore. There. Breathe. Unclench your hands. Put your phone down gently. Stand up. Stretch. Look around, look around._

__Aaron squeezed his eyes tightly, then opened them. His dorm room didn’t look too bad. A bit bare on his side of the room. But there was a bed, and a study desk, and a cabinet for clothing. Not a lot of space, but then again he hadn’t brought much with him here. And he wouldn’t be able to afford more junk to fill the room with, the way his room mate seemed to have.  
On the other side of the room the setup was similar, but clearly his room mate had been in already decorating and setting up their belongings. A pride flag hung over the sloppily made bed, papers and books littered the desk, shoes and clothes were strewn around and a laptop sat open on the ground (he flinched for a moment, thinking how easily it could be broken); fairy lights hung limply from a hook in the ceiling where they appeared to have been left in the process of being strung up; a half empty bag of chips lay on the pillow.  
Well, it hadn’t been his choice to be rooming with someone. But late admission… what could he do about it? None of his safety schools were really good options - he had been on the edge for so many months until he heard back from Westerns again. Theo- no. Not going to think about her. No.  
He shook his head; he’d gotten distracted again. He heard the sound of loud footsteps and rap music getting louder. A long, darkhaired teenage guy burst into the room.  
“Hey man, hey! What up, I’m Alex, you’d be - Aaron? That right? I’m your roommate; I’m a law student - some polysci stuff as well but mainly law, anyways. Damn it’s good to be here huh? You getting settled in yet? Well, I guess not yet, you need any help getting stuff put up, you ask ok? Sorry bout the mess, I’ll get that mostly cleared up tonight. Wait, what did you say your name was again?”  
Aaron blinked for a moment, startled by the other guy’s energy and busy manor.  
“It’s Aaron, yes. Aaron Burr.”  
“Sweet!” Alex grabbed his hand and shook it firmly. “So, what’s your major?”  
“I’m a law student too, yeah.”  
“Awesome! I bet we’ll have a bunch of classes together then. You just got here huh? If you haven’t seen the rest of the place yet really I can show you around a bit, I’ve been here for a few days and I’ve got a ton of friends who know the school real well.”  
“Uh, I guess.” He responded, biting the inside of his mouth. No, he didn’t want go out with this guy, of course not.  
“Awesome! Actually, I’m meeting up with my boyfriend John and some friends for lunch in just a moment, want to come? And we can show you around after or whatever...?”  
Aaron opened his mouth to answer but before he could try and decline Alex cut him off again.  
“Ok, sweet - just drop your stuff, - no, no you don’t need a coat man it’s warm out! Come on, come on!”  
Normally he would have said no. Let the roommate go off with his friends, unpack some of his things and watch some Lost on Netflix. But something about today - maybe it was Alexander’s exuberantly friendly bounce and charm, maybe it was the sunny weather of the bright day, maybe it was the rainbow flag and the fact that Alex had said ‘boyfriend’; maybe it was just a tiny bit of confidence and the need to get Theo’s words out of his head. Whatever it was, he bit his lip, nodded, and tucked his phone into his pocket.  
“Okay, sure.” He nodded again to Alexander and followed him out of the dorm room and down the corridor. 


	2. Telemarketers?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to know how I see the characters we've seen so far:
> 
> Amandla Stenburg as Peggy  
> Maria Borges as Adrienne  
> Leslie Odem Jr. as Aaron  
> Anthony Ramos as John  
> Lin Manuel Miranda as Alex  
> Arianna Afsar as Eliza
> 
> (And I know, it's weird that I see some of them as different then in the show. Oh well. Also, just accept that I see them as those characters *at college age* and forgive me.)

A bell jingled merrily as Alex swung open the door of Bean Counter Coffeeshop. “There you guys are!” He exclaimed loudly, pointing at a group of students sitting around a corner table, coffee cups, tiny plates of cheesecake, and various books scattered everywhere. “This is Aaron! He’s my roommate. He’s cool. Aaron, this is Peggy, Eliza, Adrienne, and John-Where’s John?”  
“He’s just in the washroom Alex. God, could you be any louder? You’re ruining my street cred. Come sit down.”  
“You have street cred? Wow Peggy. I never knew you had it in you.” Retorted Alex, dragging a chair out from under the table and flipping it around, sitting down and leaning forward on the chairback. “Pull up a seat Aaron.”  
Aaron took a seat, giving an awkward wave and smile at the group of college kids sitting around the table. A gorgeous girl with a floaty afro sat sipping an ice cap, her arm around another girl munching on a brownie. The aforementioned Peggy was squatting on their chair instead of sitting on it, large doc marten boots leaving an imprint on the seat, and poking the table with the eraser end of a stubby pencil.  
“Have you got money, Alex?” asked the ice cap girl.  
“Yes, I’m basically broke but you know. Never too broke for coffee.”  
“Alex has a bit of a spending problem.” said Peggy, raising a compatriotive eyebrow at Aaron.  
“I know, I’m problematic. I buy a lot of books.” Alex said, shrugging.  
“Books? Books! That wasn’t what i was going to mention!”  
“What are you talking about pegg?” asked brownie girl.  
“Oh, sorry Eliza. Do we not talk about his didlo collection in polite company?”  
“PEGGY! I do not have a fucking dildo collection!”  
“No, just a regular dildo collection?”  
“I hate you.” Alex stood up and ran his hands through his hair with a look of despair on his face. “Oh look, it’s John. Here to save us from the awkward moment.” Eliza deadpanned.  
John took a seat beside Aaron, rolling his eyes. “Hey there. He’s actually quite normal, you know.”  
“What?” Aaron looked confused.  
“Oh, you just looked a little shell shocked. I’m John, by the way. Oh. Eliza already said that. Well, you’re Aaron. I’m John. Good to meet you.”  
“Oh! Yes. Alex’s boyfriend?”  
“Aha. Yes. And this is Peggy, they’ve got a bit of a mouth but we love them. They use neutral pronouns.” Peggy waggled their eyebrows at Aaron. “I reject gender roles, what can I say. I am a major in Feminist Studies.”  
“And this is Eliza,” brownie girl waved, “Adrienne,” ice cap girl smiled, “and mull might meet us? I’m not sure. C’mon, what do you take in your coffee.”  
“I actually do have money.  
“Oh, come on. Peggy’s already traumatized you. We’ll buy you coffee. This time’s on us. You can repay the favor next time.”  
“One cream then, please. And next time?”  
“Alright. Peggy, don’t scare away this guy while i’m ordering. Remember? We have to give people time to adjust.” John stood and moved the the counter to order, giving Alex a friendly punch in the side as he pushed past him.  
“Don’t worry, i’ll keep an eye on them. And of course next time; you’re one of us now.” Eliza smiled at him.  
“Eliza, you’re two years older than me. Chill.”  
“Hush Peggy. Act your age. And bonjour. How are you, Aaron?” asked Adrienne.  
“Ahh, I’m good, I guess. This is all a lot but you seem cool. I’m guessing you all went to high school together?”  
“Ah, no. Peggy, Alex, John and Eliza did. I’m from Hawaii, actually. But,” tilting her head at Eliza, “we’re juniors. Peggy’s a sophomore and John and Alex are freshmen. Why’d you pick Westerns?”  
“Oh..” Aaron flipped his phone distractedly from one hand to the other, “I didn’t apply in time for most of my schools. I took a gap year after high school last year and then - I had plans but they, well. Got changed on me. I was lucky to get in here. It wasn’t really about ‘top choice’ or anything. But it is a really good school.”  
“True.” Peggy burped. “I mean there’s a lot of assholes but our squad keeps it real. And you’re one of us - one of us - one o-”  
“Shut up Peggy, stop making Finding Nemo references.”  
“Did someone say Finding Nemo?” asked John, coming back with two large coffees in his hands. “I love those movies.”  
Adrienne smiled. “I love them. I was closely tempted into getting a Dory tattoo at a party a few years ago - no, don’t laugh. I was completely blasted. And I didn’t get it. But I could have.” She giggled.  
“Adrienne is our resident tattoo junkie.” Said Eliza, nudging her. “But she’s also an art student so, it kind of goes with the territory.”  
Aaron took a swig of the coffee. Not too bad. “Nice. I haven’t got any tattoos but my ex-. My friend had a lot.”  
“Ex? That’s rough. They go here?” Asked Alex.  
“Alex is fishing to find out what team you play for.” said Peggy, sliding down their chair until their boots hit the floor.  
”Peggy, I am in a _loving _and _committed relationship here. All I am doing is asking a _friendly question _to my _good friend _Aaron-.”_______  
John snorted at Alexander’s words. “Al, you’re great but you literally forget my name every few days and we’ve known each other for seven years.”  
“It’s true. I am a human disaster.” Alexander bowed his head sarcastically.  
“Uh, no. She’s at a school in New England. And, sorry guys but I don’t really want to talk about her. I am bi, though. If that’s what you were asking.” Said Aaron.  
“Sorry man. Don’t worry about it. Everyone’s got shit. And I wasn’t actually fishing.”  
Aaron let out a laugh, his tension beginning to loosen up in the company of the crowd. “It’s okay. It’s not like I’m worried about what you all would say about it, anyways. I mean,” he gestured to John holding Alex’s hand, Eliza leaning contentedly against Adrienne, and Peggy with their “Pizza Roles Over Gender Roles” patch emblazoned on their shirt, “you know what I mean.”  
“Yeah, yeah.” Peggy laughed. “We’re all a part of Westerns’ Gender-Sexuality Alliance. You should join, actually. It’s pretty cool. I bring muffins sometimes.”  
“I’ll come with you sometime. Thanks bro.”  
All of a sudden, Aaron’s phone chimed.  
“Yo! Who's that? You been getting people’s numbers already?”  
“I don’t know - I don’t have caller ID. I don’t really care today. I don’t know anyone really who I’d be getting a call from. Probably some telemarketer trying to sell me heating ducts.” Eliza laughed.  
“You’re not going to answer it? It could be a multimillionaire offering you a full scholarship just for being so likeable.” Peggy joked. “Go ahead and answer it then,” said Aaron, reaching for one of the cheesecake slices. “Really? Alright,” they picked up the phone, assuming a perfectly level facial expression as they answered with a cool “Hello? To whom am I speaking?”  
Adrienne giggled, explaining to Aaron that they were in all of theatre department’s improv classes.  
“Uh, Aaron?” Peggy held the phone away from their face, shielding the mic with their hand. “I think you might want to take this. It’s a girl - her name is Theo?” They handed the cell phone back to Aaron, biting their lip nervously. “Sorry, I thought it really was going to be just a telemarketer.”  
Aaron looked up and down at the others who had quieted, all staring worridly, as he took the phone from Peggy.  
_“Hello? Aaron?” _A tinny voice sounded from the phone.__  
“Fuck,” he said, “I’m sorry guys. I gotta take this.” Setting down his fork and striding out of the coffee shop with loud footsteps, the others heard him, his voice straining as he attempted to keep quiet. _“Theo? Thee- What the hell are you doing, calling me. I haven’t heard from you in eight months.”_  
“Do you think we should go after him? What just - Did I do something dumb?” Asked Peggy, for once no longer fidgeting with their half-chewed pencil.  
Eliza sighed deeply, and suddenly a loud crash made everyone jump. Alex, who had been rocking back on the back two legs of his chair had leaned too far and had knocked his chair over onto the ground. “Well, this afternoon’s turning out well, I think.” Said John drily. 

**Author's Note:**

> this is a rough beginning but we'll see how the story goes. i've got a lot of ideas but this is my first fic so don't shoot me right away. please like/comment etc!!


End file.
